Real-time risk based payment decision service for transit system

Abstract

Information for a payment account of a user of a transit system may be received. A risk analysis may be performed using the information for the payment account based on one or more parameters to determine a risk score for the user. The risk score for the user may be provided to a transit payment system. Whether the user is a high risk based on the risk score may be determined. If the user is a high risk, payment or payment authorization from the user via the transit payment system may be required before the user exits the transit system.

We claim: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for obtaining payment using real-time risk based analysis:
 receiving information for a payment account of a user of a transit system from a reader provided at an entry point of the transit system, wherein the reader receives the information for the payment account from a payment device of the user, wherein the reader is in communication with a transit payment system; 
 communicating the information for the payment account to a risk analysis processor via the transit payment system, wherein the risk analysis processor is in communication with a payment network, and wherein the risk analysis processor calculates a risk score for the user by:
 communicating with the payment network to obtain data for one or more parameters; 
 determining the risk score for the user by using at least the following parameters: cross border transactions involving the payment account of the user within a time period, a first deny list for the transit system, and a second deny list for a second transit system, wherein the first deny list includes a list of transit users of the transit system who have defaulted on payment, and wherein the second deny list includes a list of second transit users of the second transit system who have defaulted on payment; 
 communicating the risk score for the user to the transit payment system; 
 
 determining whether the user is a high risk by comparing the risk score to a predetermined risk threshold; and 
 in response to a determination that the user is a high risk,
 requiring payment authorization from the user before the user exits the transit system; 
 receiving payment authorization from the user from a point of sale device at an exit point of the transit system; 
 communicating the payment authorization to a payment processor in communication with the transit payment system to initiate a payment transaction using the payment account of the user; and 
 causing a gate at the exit point to be opened upon completion of the payment transaction. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transit system is a toll road, a rail line, or a bus line. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reader is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payment device is a transaction card. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information for the payment account for the user includes one or more of a user name, a payment account number, an expiration date, an address, a zip code, a tokenized payment account number, and a card issuer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters include transactions involving the payment account and authorization status of the payment account the time period, abnormal payment transactions involving the payment account within the time period, or peak payment account usage based on historical data. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the historical data includes increased use of the payment account on pay-day or end of the month payments. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the time period is six months. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using an application programming interface (API) to calculate the risk score for the user. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payment processor communicates with an acquiring bank to process the payment transaction. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more parameters is given the same weight. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more parameters is given a different weight. 
     
     
       13. A processor-readable non-transitory medium storing processor-issuable instructions configured to cause a processor to:
 receive information for a payment account of a user of a transit system from a reader provided at an entry point of the transit system, wherein the reader receives the information for the payment account from a payment device of the user, wherein the reader is in communication with a transit payment system; 
 communicate the information for the payment account to a risk analysis processor via the transit payment system, wherein the risk analysis processor is in communication with a payment network and the risk analysis processor is configured to:
 communicate with the payment network to obtain data for one or more parameters; 
 determine a risk score for the user by using at least the following parameters: cross border transactions involving the payment account of the user within a time period, a first deny list for the transit system, and a second deny list for a second transit system, wherein the first deny list includes a list of transit users of the transit system who have defaulted on payment, and wherein the second deny list includes a list of second transit users of the second transit system who have defaulted on payment; 
 communicate the risk score for the user to the transit payment system; 
 
 determine whether the user is a high risk by comparing the risk score to a predetermined risk threshold; and 
 in response to a determination that the user is a high risk,
 require payment authorization from the user before the user exits the transit system; 
 receive payment authorization from the user from a point of sale device at an exit point of the transit system; 
 communicate the payment authorization to a payment processor in communication with the transit payment system to initiate a payment transaction using the payment account of the user; and 
 cause a gate at the exit point to be opened upon completion of the payment transaction. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The processor-readable non-transitory medium of  claim 13 , wherein the transit system is a toll road, a rail line, or a bus line. 
     
     
       15. The processor-readable non-transitory medium of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more parameters include transactions involving the payment account and authorization status of the payment account within the time period, abnormal payment transactions involving the payment account within the time period, or peak payment account usage based on historical data. 
     
     
       16. A system for obtaining payment using real-time risk based analysis, comprising:
 a transit payment system, wherein the transit payment system has a processor that is configured to:
 receive information for a payment account of a user of a transit system from a reader provided at an entry point of the transit system, wherein the reader receives the information for the payment account of the user from a payment device of the user, wherein the transit payment system is in communication with a risk analysis processor; 
 communicate the information for the payment account to the risk analysis processor to calculate a risk score for the user, the risk analysis processor being configured to:
 communicate with a payment network to obtain data for one or more parameters; 
 determine a risk score for the user by using at least the following parameters: cross border transactions involving the payment account of the user within a time period, a first deny list for the transit system, and a second deny list for a second transit system, wherein the first deny list includes a list of transit users of the transit system who have defaulted on payment, and wherein the second deny list includes a list of second transit users of the second transit system who have defaulted on payment; 
 communicate the risk score for the user to the transit payment system; 
 
 
 determine whether the user is a high risk by comparing the risk score to a predetermined risk threshold; 
 in response to a determination that the user is a high risk,
 require payment authorization from the user before the user exits the transit system; 
 receive payment authorization from the user from a point of sale device at an exit point of the transit system; 
 communicate the payment authorization to a payment processor in communication with the transit payment system to initiate a payment transaction using the payment account of the user; and 
 cause a gate at the exit point to be opened upon completion of the payment transaction. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the transit system is a toll road, a rail line, or a bus line. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more parameters include transactions involving the payment account and authorization status of the payment account within the time period, abnormal payment transactions involving the payment account within the time period, or peak payment account usage based on historical data. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the time period is six months. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the payment device is a transaction card.